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Bayer CropScience to renovate its U.S. headquarters

Committed to long-term investment in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park (RTP) community, Bayer CropScience announced the beginning of renovations to its North American headquarters.

The $33 million project, scheduled for completion in 2015, will allow the company to accommodate substantial growth and bring more of its employees together over the next decade. Completed facilities will eventually house more than 700 employees working to cultivate the latest developments in sustainable agricultural solutions.

"Bayer CropScience is dedicated to being a pivotal organization in the socio-economic life of RTP," said Jim Blome, president and CEO of Bayer CropScience LP.

"Revitalizing our current office space to accommodate growth marks a significant investment for Bayer CropScience in the area. By using our facilities to attract and retain the region's top talent, we are ensuring that Bayer CropScience will continue to contribute to RTP's viability and reputation as a top location for business and scientific development."

The company's office renovation is the latest in a series of recent investments in the RTP area. Noting the area's potential for promoting bioscience growth and innovation through community and economic investment, Bayer CropScience moved the company's global Seeds headquarters from France to RTP in 2012.

Other initiatives at the North American headquarters include opening a $20 million, 60,000-square-foot greenhouse; a $2.1 million, 6,000-square-foot state-of-the-art North American Bee Care Center; and a $16.1 million, 40,000-square-foot Development North America research facility. The greenhouse, which is being used for soy, corn and other broadacre crop research, serves as one of the country's premier locations for bioscience research and development. It boasts numerous environmentally-friendly features, including a 70,000 gallon underground water storage tank that will harvest rainwater for plant irrigation and is expected to reduce consumption of potable water at the facility by approximately 700,000 gallons annually.

The company also recently invested $6.2 million in the purchase of 70 acres of land north of its current property at the intersection of T.W. Alexander Drive and North Carolina Highway 147 from the Research Triangle Foundation to allow for future facility expansion.

The renovated modern facility will enhance collaboration among employees by offering various work environments for individual work and meetings. The building will be designed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards, including LED lighting and highly efficient mechanical systems.

In addition, the renovated building offers increased natural light, a wellness center with a medical office, an employee store, and a dedicated conference center. Natural materials and modern design elements will be used throughout the building, reflecting the relationship between agriculture and the high-tech work Bayer employees do each day to feed a growing population.

"When it is complete, the office renovation will reflect our focus on innovation, local investment and our continued contributions to cultivate solutions to the world's most pressing agricultural issues," said Blome. "We are excited to begin the process, which started earlier this month, and we look forward to showcasing a new look in the coming years."